Cards with Flair in Photoshop

This class is DIY (Do it Yourself). It was originally written as an instructor led class, so you will find references to message boards and posting homework. DIY courses have no instructor support and you are not required to post any homework. There is no message board to ask questions, and certificates are not awarded for self-study courses. You can read more about how DIY classes work here.

IMPORTANT: This is an intermediate class. By intermediate I mean you will need to know the basics of using Adobe Photoshop, and be proficient in using the text tool, and you must understand and be able to use layers proficiently to complete this course. If you are a designer or have been using Photoshop for a long time, you will find this class too basic for you. This class is geared toward home users and hobbyists.

PSE 3.0

For Adobe Photoshop

Welcome to Cards with Flair in Photoshop! There are two versions of this course: one for Adobe Photoshop and one for Adobe Photoshop Elements.You can find course information on the Photoshop Elements version of the class here.

Besides being a great photo editor, Photoshop allows your creativity to shine with composites, collages, and other artwork. Whether you just use Photoshop to edit photos or you use it for artistic images, you can create one-of-a-kind greeting cards with ease.

IMPORTANT: This class is geared toward making physical paper greeting cards you make and send. As such there are recommendations for outside tools such as those for embossing or edging that CAN be used as well as Photoshop in the creation process, but you do NOT have to use them. If you have any questions about whether the class would serve your purposes, feel free to email me.

What does this class cover?

During this class we will talk about layouts, printing, and even designing gift boxes using your photos or artwork. We will also talk about resizing, resolution, and resampling. You will learn to design envelopes and do creative folds, as well as designing your cards. Note: If you are looking for a class on how to make digital cards you upload and sell online as email-type cards, this class is not for you. Digital cards can be made quite simply using Photoshop (or the graphic software of your choice, for example, Adobe [Macromedia] Flash, Xara Xtreme, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Paint Shop Pro, CorelDraw or Corel Photo-Paint and so on) to make the image, then you would have to use either special software or subscribe to a service to have them available for download on a website. That is not covered in this class.

What is not covered and what you will be expected to know

You will be expected to know the basics of Photoshop, like using the text tool, opening, saving, and closing files, and using Save for Web. You also must understand and be able to use layers with proficiency. This is an intermediate class, and it's not a special effects class; we will be doing some special effects in projects, but the focus of this course is to teach you to use the images you create in cards and other creative projects. If you want to learn to make creative images, there are several classes to help you do so:

There are also classes in the basics of Photoshop for all versions. Check here for the listings.

Prerequisites:

You must have Photoshop installed. This class is written using Photoshop CS2, but for the most part, earlier versions of Photoshop will work too. This is an intermediate class, and, as such, you will be expected to know the basics of Elements, using layers proficiently, and know how to use the text tool, open and close files and use Save for Web.

Enrollment:

Classes are $12 for the DIY course. You can enroll here.

Syllabus

Lesson 1

Welcome
Read the FAQ
Paper and Other Tools for Card Making
Fonts and Typography: Making Good Font Choices
Making a Swipe File
Your Card Logo
Half-Fold Photo Card Layout
Helpful Links for Card Creation

Lesson 2

Finding Inspiration
Writing Verses
3D Object Scanning Tips
Quarter-fold Cards
2-Up Notecards

Lesson 3

Shaped Cards
Digital Embossing
Partial Cutout Cards
Kaleidoscope Cards
Circle Cards

Lesson 4

3D Cards

Lesson 5

Envelopes & Folding

Lesson 6

Digital Deckles
Torn Edges
Gift Boxes
Card Boxes

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Disclaimer

All designs and images on these pages are copyrighted to me, Sara Froehlich and Northlite Designs, or in the cases of software boxes and logos, their respective copyright holders. If you want to use something of mine you see, please contact me for permission. Thank you!